Fallen

JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

Dutch Bros. Coffee in Newport, Oregon

February 2023 update: this post is being updated from 2 photos, which in itself was rare back in 2006, with a few more of the images that defined the day for Caroline and me. Gleaned from cold storage and not in the original text, we left our most excellent yurt at Beverly Beach State Park in the dark, stopping at Dutch Bros. also in Newport, Oregon, for coffee and driving south to North Bend before dipping into the Pancake Mill for breakfast two hours later.

Pancake Mill Restaurant in North Bend, Oregon

A bit of a boring photo for sure, but sometimes, the boring must accompany the stellar in order for contrast to be well understood. There was likely something else at work that we succumbed to while out here in Oregon, the need to linger for another moment in the gray. Nothing quite like hanging out in a diner, cafe, or restaurant to linger in the vibe we reluctantly must leave.

Coquille River Lighthouse at Bullards Beach State Park in Bandon, Oregon

Today will be all about the southerly direction we must go, and it is with that reality that we find ourselves adjacent to the Coquille River Lighthouse at Bullards Beach State Park in Bandon. Our original plan was to cut from the coast to U.S. Highway 5 for a faster drive home, but poor weather in the mountains and bridge repairs in Northern California have us taking the long, slow, scenic way home along the coast.

Bandon, Oregon

And, of course, we must stop for these moments of blue sky as it may be all we’ll witness on this day.

Face Rock in Bandon, Oregon

If only Face Rock, also in Bandon, could talk, I’d ask it how many days it has been witness to blue skies, though I might also enquire if it has seen a stray UFO here or there.

Abandoned home roadside in Oregon

Of course, I wanted to enter this abandoned house, but things we relatively kept up, meaning for all I knew, the place only looked as though no one was living there.

Port Orford, Oregon

No time to go down to the docks here at Port Orford. Heck, what am I even doing with all this driving still ahead of me?

Near Gold Beach, Oregon

I know we are trying to keep a solid pace, but how can I just drive by this scene at Gold Beach, ignoring its aesthetic brilliance?

Meyers Creek Beach near Gold Beach, Oregon

This may well turn out to be the most dramatic shot I’ll ever shoot of the shark fin rock here at Meyers Creek Beach, but that doesn’t imply I won’t try again and again over the approaching years of doing better.

Hitchhiker in Crescent City, California

For a minute, we felt sympathy for this guy; we even refused his offer of money. He wasn’t with us long before he needed to get out of our car. The lesson was learned: guys too well dressed for small-town America hitchhiking are probably sociopaths, and as soon as you tune into the crazy talk, it might even be better to boot them from the car with the first verbal transgression. Lucky for him, we took him as far as Eureka before insisting that there was no way he was going any further with us.

Redwoods in Northern California

After filling up on Dutch Bros. again, this time in Eureka after ditching creeper dude, we stopped in at the Humboldt Redwoods State Park to commune with nature and wash our mistake off of us, only to record here on the blog for posterity.

Leave of fall among the Redwoods in California

Sunlight has started to fade, and yet we still have 300 more miles of driving before reaching Santa Cruz, California, south of San Francisco. Should we make it to our hoped-for destination, we’ll have covered more than 700 miles today.

Chinese Restaurant in San Francisco, California

Speaking of San Francisco, why not pull into the city for a dinner break? Oh, this looks interesting: Hakka cuisine in the style of Szechuan flavors, and we were the only non-Chinese customers; as a matter of fact, I think that even the menu presented us with some challenges. We ended up with a whole fish that we split before returning to the road for the final leg of today’s journey.

Sea Birds at Sunset

JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

Deluxe Yurt at Umpqua Lighthouse State Park in Reedsport, Oregon

We emerged this morning from very special lodgings. When I was making reservations, it turned out that the Umpqua Lighthouse State Park only had a deluxe yurt available for us, so we stayed in this posh supersized yurt that went beyond the simple space heater and a light. It was fully ADA-accessible, featuring a refrigerator, microwave, TV, and VCR (VHS tape only), shower, toilet, even a kitchen sink.

Update in February 2023: I’ve been adding images to some old posts where a visual deficit once existed. Regarding this wonky panorama, this was a work in progress for Caroline that was never finished. Back when I originally posted it, I liked the idea that others might be able to see that there are approximately a dozen images used for building this photo. While I could have rebuilt it using Lightroom, which would have likely done a great job, there’s something warm and fuzzy about the memory of how much work it once took to build up panoramas.

Umpqua Lighthouse in Reedsport, Oregon

Let the Umpqua Lighthouse guide the way for our absurd 150-mile drive north that will see us needing to turn around and drive south to Newport today for the yurt we already have booked. Why would we do such a thing? Meeting a friend and learning about the effectiveness of oven bags in containing smells, pungent smells.

Roadside on Highway 101 in Oregon

Good thing we enjoy these crazy long drives; at least they leave us with indelible impressions and a passion for return visits.

Heceta Head Lighthouse in Florence, Oregon

That’s Heceta Head Lighthouse in the distance and the keeper’s house on the right.

Sealines Nautical Shop south of Yachats, Oregon

I can only wonder about how many times over the years I’ll write about this spot on the side of the road once known as Sealines Nautical Shop. When it was open, and we could have stopped by, we figured we didn’t have enough time or enough money and that we’d catch it on another trip; well, it closed down.

Sealines Nautical Shop south of Yachats, Oregon

Even though it was closed, the figures that first drew our attention stood outside for a number of years…and then it was all gone besides the shop that has never been reoccupied. The shop was just south of Yachats.

The Lookout at Cape Foulweather in Otter Rock, Oregon

This is The Lookout at Cape Foulweather in Otter Rock, south of Depoe Bay. It is here and available to us visitors due to the generosity of Wilbur S. and Florence Badley, who back in 1928 gave the land to the state of Oregon with the stipulation the land not be developed and remain for public enjoyment; what great people they were.

Cape Foulweather south of Depoe Bay, Oregon

This is the view south of Cape Foulweather.

Seals on the Oregon Coast

I have no real idea where it was when we spotted these sea lions on a narrow shelf trying to catch some zzz’s as the waves washed over them.

Siletz Bay in Lincoln City, Oregon

Over the years, I’ll photograph these three rocks in Siletz Bay from all angles, and rarely do they look the same.

Tillamook, Oregon

We went as far as Tillamook to pick up some cheese and marionberry pie ice cream cones. Unfortunately, our favorite Tillamook cheese manufacturer and shop, Blue Heron, was closed due to recent flooding, so there were no sandwiches with smoked brie for us today.

One detail neglected in the original post was that we traveled this far north only to turn around as we were meeting with an old friend who was paying back a debt with a certain kind of green currency, so to speak. This is where the oven bags came into play.

Tillamook, Oregon

The image above was taken on Cape Meares Beach just off the Three Capes Scenic Drive, where half a dozen sea birds dart back and forth with the waves as they forage for a morsel late in the day.

Cape Meares Lighthouse in Tillamook, Oregon

The Cape Meares Lighthouse.

Symons State Scenic Viewpoint in Tillamook, Oregon

While listed as being in Tillamook, this wayside is south of Oceanside and is another example of the generosity of someone who saw the value in keeping views like this unobstructed by the greed for individuals to own something so rare that should remain for all of us. Thank you, Percy Symons, for your donation.

Lincoln City Glass Center in Lincoln City, Oregon

We stopped by the Lincoln City Glass Center in Lincoln City. The seed has been planted, and now we must return one day for Caroline to make something of glass for the two of us.

Racoons at Beverly Beach State Park in Newport, Oregon

It was rather late when we arrived at tonight’s yurt, but not so late that the raccoons here at Beverly Beach State Park in Newport weren’t happy to see us. Have I shared yet that we love yurts?

The Oregon Coast

JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

Beverly Beach State Park in Newport, Oregon

Harris Beach State Park in Brookings, Oregon, could be where you pull your own head up off a pillow if you were staying overnight in a yurt; it works for us.

Dutch Bros. Coffee in Newport, Oregon

You might figure it out on your own, but I’ll help you understand something about this photo. We are in love with Dutch Bros. coffee, and while we might want you to believe that it’s due exclusively to the quality of the drink, it may also be a reflection that it is inextricably linked to our love affair with the Oregon coast and our embuing what we can to that deep appreciation.

Caroline Wise feeding seagulls in Newport, Oregon

We all know that seagulls are always on the hunt for food, but did you know that some are brave enough to eat from your hand? The question you need to ask yourself is, are you brave enough to have wildly flapping bird wings in your face?

Beverly Beach State Park in Newport, Oregon

Okay, time to finish our coffee, bird feeding, and stroll on the beach to go check out of our yurt.

Yurt at Beverly Beach State Park in Newport, Oregon

The Winchuck yurt at Harris Beach State Park as we knew it, but now, we find ourselves leaving yet another dreamy experience from the book of happy places.

Cape Ferrelo Viewpoint in Brookings, Oregon

Just north of Brookings, we take aim for Cape Ferrelo and that’s just where we are. It’ll be about 125 miles later today before we get to our yurt at the Umpqua Lighthouse.

Caroline Wise at Cape Ferrelo Viewpoint in Brookings, Oregon

I’m guessing that as Caroline is carrying our new umbrella, courtesy of our great aunt and uncle Tata and Woody, the threat of rain must have still been present, though as is usual, I frame the photo to best exemplify the day and our attitude towards it. Cape Ferrelo Viewpoint is part of the Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor.

Cape Ferrelo Viewpoint in Brookings, Oregon

But look the other way, and things might look very different, which is likely the inspiration to be prepared with that massive umbrella.

Whalehead Beach in Brookings, Oregon

Many of our travels are orientation visits to take in as much as possible in a relatively short span of time. If we find we like the place more than others, we will make plans for a return visit. After the second or third trip, we became familiar enough with this new location to want to know more and more, and so it is with the Oregon Coast.

Whalehead Beach in Brookings, Oregon

A few miles north, we find ourselves on Whaleshead Beach.

Indian Sands Loop Trailhead in Brookings, Oregon

Barely a mile north again, we have finally become aware of the 360-mile long (583km) Oregon Coast Trail. Our next visit to Oregon will definitely focus on hiking at least a 10-mile stretch over the course of a day and, if time allows, a bit more. This segment of the trail is at the Indian Sands Viewpoint.

Port Orford docks in Port Orford, Oregon

We are the Port Orford dock, and while this photo may not be very dockish, crab pots are not something we’ll ever see in Phoenix, Arizona, well, unless California actually does fall into the ocean someday.

Winchester Bay, Oregon

Time for a bite to eat in Winchester Bay at this floating restaurant. What a sweet, floating, cozy little place, perfect for us, and it’s just around the corner from our yurt at the Umpqua Lighthouse State Park.

California Redwoods

JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

Area 101 in Laytonville, California

We awoke in the little town of Willits, California, to a cold fog. Almost 140 miles north of San Francisco, Willits is known as the Gateway to the Redwoods, and that was our destination for spending the majority of the day. The fog quickly gave way to intermittent blue skies, though we continued to cut in and out of clouds while, at times, the drive was almost dark due to the heavy tree cover. We stop for anything that catches our eye, such as the psychedelic roadside Country Store & Deli in Laytonville, California, known as Area 101.

Confusion Hill in Leggett, California

One might think with only 245 miles to Brookings, Oregon, we’d not need the entire day to get there but we could easily prove you wrong. It’s not difficult to find ourselves distracted by things, places, and the sights we might have passed on previous travels; with an abundance of available time, we can do stuff like visit the World Famous Confusion Hill and The Legend of Bigfoot shop just up the road. It turns out that we don’t go into any of them as we question what the value will be, how much time we’ll have to give to explore them, and then the inevitable question of whether we are really all that interested anyway.

Humboldt Redwoods State Park in Weott, California

What we are really interested in is unadorned, raw nature, and that’s what is to be found right here in the Humboldt Redwoods State Park in Weott, California.

Humboldt Redwoods State Park in Weott, California

A small parking area in the Redwoods caught my eye, prompting a quick U-turn, and we took off on a short loop trail, passing fallen Redwoods, mushrooms, dripping water, ferns, moss, and the sound of a handful of songbirds.

Humboldt Redwoods State Park in Weott, California

The aforementioned mushrooms, although there were many others.

South Fork Eel River in the Humboldt Redwoods State Park in Weott, California

We are on Avenue of the Giants, which parallels Highway 101 but is far more conducive to pulling over for the occasional photo, like here looking at the South Fork Eel River south of Burlington, California.

Highway 101 view somewhere south of Eureka, California

Back on the main highway, traveling north with a destination of Oregon but first a stop in Eureka, California, and the first Dutch Bros. on the coast.

Trinidad, California

Not quite sunset yet, nor are we in Oregon, but we’re inching closer.

Trinidad, California

This and the previous photo were taken from our slow drive up Patricks Point through Trinidad.

Red Deer near Orick, California

The famous red deer in Orick appear to have adapted well to living next to the highway, as while they are free to roam, we’ve not driven through here and not seen them.

Klamath River in Klamath, California

Passing over the Klamath River while the nearby Trees of Mystery were once again passed by, this time because it was closed for Thanksgiving (the other times, we were simply short on time).

Caroline Wise and John Wise at Harris Beach State Park in Brookings, Oregon

We finally pulled into Harris Beach State Park, got checked into our yurt, and then raced over to the beach for a glorious sunset.

Harris Beach State Park in Brookings, Oregon

Thanksgiving dinner was barbecued under the umbrella, including mushrooms and corn on the cob with truffle butter for Caroline and a steak and the same corn for me. The weather that accompanied our dinner stayed with us over the majority of the night, with the gentle patter of raindrops dancing on our canvas roof throughout the night.

Chinese Busker in Frisco

JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

Caroline Wise and John Wise at the Ferry Marketplace in San Francisco, California

After a rather short four-hour drive from our motel this morning, we’ve arrived here at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market at the Embarcadaro here in San Francisco. We need some gourmet supplies for our Thanksgiving dinner in a yurt up in Oregon.

Mushrooms at the Ferry Marketplace in San Francisco, California

First up was Far West Fungi. This brilliant little shop offers the greatest selection of mushrooms anyone is likely to ever find in the United States. We chose three varieties after being advised they would cook well on the grill; our choices were porcini, lobster, and trumpet. Next door, we picked up rosemary salt, and a few shops down, we nabbed a small package of garlic butter; these were to be used in cooking up the mushrooms.

Other mushrooms on sale were a hedgehog, black trumpet, cauliflower, yellow oyster, pink oyster, matsutake, blue foot, bear’s tooth, shimeji, lion’s mane, portobello, white, brown, enoki, and yellow foot. From the world of truffles, Far West carries Himalayan Truffles for $25 an ounce, Oregon White Truffles for only $12.50 an ounce, while the Winter Black Truffles go for $112.50 an ounce, and the White Alba Truffles were about $156 an ounce. The last thing we bought was a 3.5-ounce small jar of Truffle & Salt made of sea salt and Black Summer Truffle – a bit pricy at $24. If you too are a fungiphile, Far West will soon be offering mail order, and if you are in the area during an upcoming December, the Oakland Museum of California and the Mycological Society of San Francisco hold an annual Wild Mushrooms Fungus Fair, this year marks the 37th annual fair.

Another important stop here is at the Cowgirl Creamery. One word describes this place – Cheesy. Ok, one more word is required – YUMMY. We tried and bought the first four kinds of cheese, which were excellent. First off was Cowgirl Creamery’s own Pierce PT; I had wanted the Saint Pat, which is a whole milk organic cheese wrapped in stinging nettle leaves; sadly, this cheese is only available in the springtime. To compensate for the disappointment, our salesgirl offered the Pierce PT – lucky us as this was a 1st Place award winner at the 2006 American Cheese Society Conference. Pierce PT is washed in a Muscato wine and rolled in dried herbs. The next cheese was a goat cheese called Bucheret from Redwood Hill Farm made by Jennifer Bice, mmmm, buttery goat. The third was Lincolnshire Poacher from Neal’s Yard Dairy in Ulceby, Lincolnshire in England. This aged cheddar-like cheese is awesome. Lastly, we bought the Pepato from Bellwether Farm in Sonoma County, California. Pepato is a semi-soft cheese made from Sheep milk made with peppercorns.

At Acme Bread, we picked up a loaf of sourdough dark rye bread and were ready to venture into the city by the bay.

China Town in San Francisco, California

Chinatown in San Francisco is a world unto itself. Dozens of grocery stores intrude onto sidewalks, pushing lotus roots, dried mushrooms, ginger, Pak Choy, bok choy, and assorted unidentifiable fruits and veggies – even live chicken. Cheap shoes, trinkets, jewelry, fresh bread, and scores of regional Chinese restaurants line the streets. A cultural sampling of the world’s inhabitants stroll the streets; some visitors might be tourists, but the majority sniff, poke, browse, and shop with a familiarity suggesting they are local residents and for them these exotic sights and sounds are commonplace.

Erhu player in San Francisco, California

The architecture in Chinatown is distinctly Chinese; there is no mistaking that. Most signage is in Chinese characters. The best we Westerners can do is figure out the business from the service being offered beyond the shop’s door. This old man – a Chinese busker or street musician – squeaks out a tune on his erhu, trying to earn a few extra dollars. America needs more busking.

China Town in San Francisco, California

I thought this was the intersection, but I was wrong. Back in 1991, on Caroline’s first trip to the United States, I took a picture of her here in Chinatown; I thought it was under this sign. The photo I was thinking of was taken about 400 feet from here under the Stockton Street sign. Click here to see that image.

City Lights Bookstore in San Francisco, California

Another stop from that trip in 1991 was our first visit to City Lights Bookstore because, as literary nerds, pilgrimages to such places are mandatory. And should you wonder if we’ve visited Powell’s in Portland, of course, we have.

Rental car in fortune cookie parking spot San Francisco, California

We’ve never parked in a fortune cookie parking spot until now; I’d wager this might end up being the one and only time.

Caroline Wise and John Wise at Ghirardelli Chocolate shop in San Francisco, California

There was no way we were going to leave San Francisco without a quick stop at the Ghirardelli Chocolate shop so we could split a hot fudge sundae; now, we are finally ready to get on the road. Our destination for the night is up at a Super 8 Motel in Willits, California, for the exorbitant price of $63 plus tax, but if I look at it as just 4 or 5 of these sundaes, I guess it’s not so bad.